What I Learned About Michael Jackson From His Costume Designers
Michael Bush showed up to the set of George Lucas’ Captain EO as a regular set costumer. When the team was asked who wanted to personally work with Michael Jackson, everyone shied away, but Bush rose to the occasion. That one decision led to a 25-year career designing looks for the King of Pop. Michael shared the first-ever pictorial compilation of he and his partner Dennis Thompkins costuming process - starting with The Bad Tour in 1985, Jackson’s first solo tour without his brothers. The stories behind the wearable art proves that the sum of a man is more than his measurements. In honor of what would be his 62nd birthday, here are a few behind-the-scenes stories from The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson.
Florsheim Loafers
As a kid, Michael learned to dance (and moonwalk) in Florsheim shoes. He loved the classic black loafers and took pride in it being the only shoe his family could afford at the time. His size 9.5 shoes were there one piece of his costume that no one could touch - not even to polish. He said, “I don’t care what you do to my clothes, just don’t touch my shoes.”
Smooth Criminal Lean
The famous lean was inspired by Michael’s love for The Wizard of Oz and his affinity for the Tin Man’s agility. Jackson was able to do the 45-degree angled lean in the video, but live performances presented a challenge to pull off, Bush and Thompkins invented a patented device that was installed inside Jackson’s shoes that hooked to a bolt and then to a 2x3 wood plank that was bolted to the stage.
Levi 501 Jeans
Michael Jackson wardrobe had to fit into 4 categories - Fit, Function, Fun and First. He encouraged his costume designers to “try something new and make people do a double take.” His favorite pants were black Levi 501 jeans that had spandex added to the inseams so Michael could move freely.
The Mask
According to Bush, Jackson was a machine with weird sleep patterns. He also had a fear of turbulence so he often chose to travel commercial first class over private jets. In an effort to keep him healthy, Bush and Thompkins designed silk masks in solid and jewel tones. After a while, the masks became a disguise and protective shield for Jackson.
Jackets
Michael Jackson wore a plethora of jackets. And unlike his shoes, he had no problem taking the jacket off his back and giving it to a screaming fan. Bush and Thompkins were the masterminds behind so many of Jackson’s iconic jackets. Here are the backstories on a few.
White Pearl - Michael Jackson’s all-time favorite jacket worn at the Grammys in 1994. He is buried in a replica of it.
Dinner - This is the jacket Jackson wore when he hosted guests at his ranch. He had a lot of fun with this jacket and considered it controllable entertainment since the silverware caught the light and made noise.
Motown 25 - Jackson celebrated the anniversary on stage with his brother in a sequin cardigan that belonged to his mother Katherine Jackson.
Ice Coat - This jacket includes 9,000 hand-sewn rhinestones that took Bush and Thompkins more than 21 days to complete.
Money Coat - Originally made with 99 $100 U.S. bills, Jackson wanted to take it a step further by adding British pounds. He was later advised by his team and never wore this jacket in public.
Thriller - There were more than 20 renditions of the Thriller jacket used on tour. Bush and Thompkins were challenged to add lights for an extra visual effect on stage.
